Therapies which may benefit Swollen Glands

Swollen glands are in fact swollen lymph nodes. Glands, or lymph nodes,
are part of the body's immune system and help to fight infection.
Glands are small, oval and soft in structure and can be located under
the skin's surface or deep within the body. Swollen glands are usually
noticeable in the neck, under the armpits or in the groin. Swollen
glands are typically as a result of a viral or bacterial infection but
can be a sign of more serious conditions such as cancer.

Causes

Swollen
glands (lymph nodes) occur for a variety of reasons. The reason glands
become swollen is due to infection, inflammation or cancer. The most
common reason for swollen glands is from infections and these can be
viral, bacterial, fungal or parasitical.

Fungal and parasitical infections such as histoplasmosis and toxoplasmosis respectively can cause swollen lymph nodes.

Inflammatory
conditions, such as arthritis or lupus, can cause swollen glands.
Cancers, such as lymphoma or leukaemia where the cancer originates from
the blood cells, will cause swollen lymph nodes while breast cancer
will cause the glands under the armpits to become swollen.

It is
important to remember that swollen glands do not necessarily have a
serious underlying condition and the glands may become swollen even
though there are no other symptoms. Swollen lymph nodes can also be a
reaction to medications you may have taken.

Symptoms

Swollen gland symptoms can vary and
the glands may not appear or feel to be swollen until they are examined
by a doctor. Other times, the glands can feel extremely swollen, tender
to the touch and painful.

Other symptoms will usually indicate
the presence of problem rather than the swelling of the lymph nodes
alone. The cause of the swollen gland may be better determined by
problems such as fever, sore throat, night sweats or weight loss.

Diagnosis

The lymph nodes closest to the
surface of the skin can be diagnosed by a GP's examination. Swollen
glands in the neck (known as the cervical lymph nodes), under the arms
(known as the axillary nodes) and in the groin (known as the inguinal
nodes) can be easily felt and visible. Tonsils are also lymph nodes and
easily visible by everyone (unless of course you've had them removed).
Deep set lymph nodes require examination using a diagnostic test such
as a CT scan.

When examining your lymph nodes, a doctor will
make their diagnosis based on medical history and other accompanying
symptoms such as fatigue, fever, weight loss, family history etc.
Swollen glands in a particular area of the body will usually indicate a
problem close to that area. For example, lymph nodes in the groin that
are swollen may be caused by the presence of a sexually transmitted
disease.

The characteristics of the gland will often be a useful
indicator of the type of problem. For instance, glands that are not
tender, have no movement and are hard may indicate that cancer has
spread to that node. Cancer of the lymphatic system is known as
Lymphoma. If cancer is suspected, a biopsy of the node may be taken to
determine the type of cancer.